A collection of podcasts exploring the culture in pop culture. Our shows range from the general (flagship show The Chronic Rift) to the specific (The Batcave Podcast). We look at literature (Dead Kitchen Radio), movies (The Weekly Podioplex), family (Generations Geek), gaming (The Cardboard Jungle), and more.

John has a chat with musician Steve Horowitz where they discuss music from Super Size Me to Spongebob Squarepants to The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Make sure you leave your thoughts on the episode in our forum or by calling our toll free number 888-866-9010. In addition, make sure you rate the episode at the end of the listing.

Steve Horowitz is a creator of odd but highly accessible sounds and a diverse and prolificmusician. Steve's 30-year career integrates his experiences as a band leader with his explorations as a multi faceted composer. Horowitz has a large catalog of music for traditional and unusual ensembles such as: string quartet, woodwind quartet, orchestra, Disklavier, solo contrabass flute, large electro-acoustic chamber ensemble and his band the Code International.

Horowitz studied at the California Institute of the Arts with Mel Powell, Morton Subotnick , Micheal Jon Fink and Stephen "Lucky" Mosko. He lectures at various schools including New York University, California Institute of the Arts, and Berklee College of Music in Boston and has received performance underwriting as well as commissions from: Meet the Composer Fund (1992 at the Lab SF, & 2005 at the Kitchen NYC); Amsterdam Fund for the Arts NL (2000 for ensemble tour); Fund for the Interactive Sound Arts Netherlands (1997, Graphic scores Mousetrap Quartet); Gravy Train Dance Company (1984 Choreographer Jo Ann Nerenberg); The Alternate Currents Ensemble (1994 Ribbon of Extremes); Music at the Anthology (MATA, executive producer Phillip Glass 2003 "Vertical Field Horizontal Field" for String Orchestra and Piano performed by SONYC, featuring soloist Joel Wizansky on piano); and The Astoria Symphony (Mix Re-Mix, World Premire).

Touring projects in the US and the Netherlands have helped to form Horowitz's unique perspective and voice. Horowitz and his music have appeared at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, The Bimhuis in Amsterdam, and The Miller Theater and The Kitchen in NYC. He frequently collaborates with other artists - joining forces with an eclectic variety of musicians such as electric guitar wizards Elliott Sharp and Henry Kaiser, saxophone greats Lenny Pickett and Ralph Carney, The Clubfoot Orchestra, Glen Spearman, acoustic bassist Tatsu Aoki, and the Balkan music ensemble Zhaba.

A culmination of years of investigation, The Code Ensemble explores Horowitz's persistent musical themes: the intertwining of electric and acoustic instruments, new forms, extended techniques, interactivity, music for picture, theater and live performance. Drawing on a finely honed sense of humor, Horowitz looks deeply into the sociological filter and re-examines pop culture's presentation of "truth" as entertainment. Founded in 1992, The Code has developed a cutting-edge repertory with instrumentation that combines traditional acoustic and contemporary electronic instruments.

In addition to his work in chamber and concert music, Horowitz writes music for dance, film, television, cartoons, and interactive media (video games). Steve wrote the score to the award winning film Super Size Me and served as music supervisor and lead composer for the television show I Bet You Will (MTV). Horowitz's audio expertise was honored in 1996 with a Grammy award for his engineering work on the compact disc "True Life Blues, the Songs of Bill Monroe", winner of the best Bluegrass album 1996, and in 2003 with a Webby for his work with Nickelodeon Digital. Horowitz has been featured in Bass Player magazine (May, 2007) and books The Art of Digital Music and The Guerilla Guide to the Music Business. Steve can be found working and touring with his various projects, and has released 15 compact discs to date. His latest album "stations of the Breath" for solo piano, was released this month. For more info and music clips please see http://www.thecodeinternational.com/

Sit-coms have been a mainstay of television since its inception. The sit-com has evolved over that time and while there are many creative and thoughtful shows today, there is something to be said for the classic sit-com. Kevin takes a look at these shows, relagated to late nights on Nick by recreating one of his favorite comedy bits, a scene from Welcome Back, Kotter.

Kevin Lauderdale brings a new fantasy author to our attention in Patrick Rothfuss. The second book in Rothfuss's King's Killer series, The Wise Man's Fear was recently released and Kevin is very impressed with the magic system used in this fantasy setting. Comment on this episode by visiting the forums, writing john@chronicrift.com, or calling 888-866-9010.

Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.

Kevin Lauderdale brings to your attention, something he almost missed, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. In this 2011 Chinese film, an exiled detective is recruited to solve a series of mysterious deaths that threaten to delay the inauguration of Empress Wu.

Please take a moment to comment on this episode by visiting the website - http://www.chronicrift.com, writing john@chronicrift.com, or calling 888-866-9010.